Parramatta are confident Mitchell Moses can make his return from foot ligament damage when they open the truncated round against Cronulla on Thursday night at CommBank Stadium.
And captain Clint Gutherson has also been named after a month out with a knee injury in the Eels’ starting side for the stoush with the depleted Sharks, who are missing Nicho Hynes and Cameron McInnes on Origin duty.
Moses failed in his bid to come back early to be in the frame for NSW Origin selection and interim coach Trent Barrett said Moses still needed to get through a full week of training before he would be allowed to play.
Dylan Brown moves to five-eighth with Daejarn Asi back to the reserves and Blaize Talagi reverting to the interchange after filling in at fullback for Gutherson.
Sharks playmaker Braydon Trindall will return to the NRL for the first time since being stood down for his drink-driving arrest to replace Hynes while McInnes’ absence is offset by the return of Toby Rudolf from a knee problem.
“(Trindall) knows he let us down a little bit and he’ll be looking to show us that he means something to us and the club means something to him,” said Hynes. “He’s been looking good at training, he’s working hard. I think he’s trying to put a bit more muscle on, he’s working hard in the gym, he’s looking great, his energy’s back so it would be a massive, massive boost if he could play for us on Thursday night.”
Canterbury back-rower Viliame Kikau will miss up to six weeks with a fractured finger in a blow to the Bulldogs heading into this week’s clash with the Knights.
The Bulldogs will hit the road to Newcastle on Friday without first-choice five-eighth Matt Burton and captain Stephen Crichton in the NSW camp.
State of Origin is causing havoc team lists all round in Round 13 with Penrith, the Roosters and Cowboys having a heavy representation in the NSW and Queensland squads.
The Panthers host the Dragons, while the Roosters are at home to North Queensland in another match which will be affected in a major way by player unavailability on rep duty.
Isaah Yeo, Liam Martin, Brian To’o, Jarome Luai and Dylan Edwards will be missing for the premiers against St George Illawarra, who have Jaydn Su’A and Ben Hunt in the Queensland squad and Zac Lomax making his NSW debut.
Daine Laurie starts at fullback, Jesse McLean is on a wing, Jake Cole partners Brad Schneider in the halves with Trent Toelau, Preston Riki, Mavrik Geyer and Tyrone Peachey forming a new-look interchange for the Panthers.
Dragons rookie Sione Finau comes in on the wing to replace Lomax while Max Feagai and twin brother Mat also join the backline in place of injured centre Jack Bird (ankle) and winger Mikaele Ravalawa, who has been punted. Jesse Marschke takes over at half from Hunt while Toby and Ryan Couchman have bolstered the pack.
The Roosters will be without Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton and Joseph Suaalii while the Cowboys will need to find replacements for their Maroons contingent of Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Valentine Holmes and Murray Taulagi, as well as Blues hooker Reece Robson.
In the silver lining to James Tedesco’s surprise omission from NSW, the Roosters skipper will be able to suit up against the Cowboys. Luke Keary is on standby for the Blues as part of their extended squad with a call to be made later in the week whether he can play for the Roosters, depending on Hynes’ calf injury.
Roosters forward Egan Butcher will not play again this year – he will undergo surgery on Thursday after scans confirmed he tore his ACL during the win over Canberra. Victor Radley was charged from Saturday’s victory, copping a fine of $1000 for a high tackle.
Holmes was charged with grade-one dangerous contact after a hip-drop tackle on Isaiah Papali’i which was partially a result of contact from Dearden in Friday’s win over the Tigers. He has copped a fine of $1800 to be free for Queensland selection.
Star fullback Latrell Mitchell escaped with a fine for a hip-drop tackle in South Sydney’s NRL win over Parramatta.
Mitchell was sin-binned late in the first half of the Rabbitohs’ 42-26 victory on Saturday, after being pulled up by the bunker for a tackle on Eels centre Sean Russell.
He was handed a grade-one charge after the match review on Sunday morning, but is able to escape with a $3000 fine if he pleads guilty.
Meanwhile, the Wests Tigers’ spiralling season has copped another hit with veteran prop David Klemmer copping a three-match ban for an ugly hip-drop tackle.
Klemmer was put on report, but not sin-binned for the tackle on Cowboys forward Kulikefu Finefuiaki and was charged with a grade-two offence.
Round 13
Parramatta vs Cronulla at CommBank Stadium: 7.50pm, Thursday May 30
Eels: 1. Clint Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Sean Russell 5. Bailey Simonsson 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 9. Brendan Hands 10. Junior Paulo 11. Kelma Tuilagi 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. Joe Ofahengaue 14. Blaize Talagi 15. Shaun Lane 16. Makahesi Makatoa 17. Wiremu Greig 18. Daejarn Asi 19. Morgan Harper 20. Joey Lussick 21. Ryan Matterson 22. Luca Moretti
Mitchell Moses is set to return from his damaged foot ligament while Clint Gutherson is ready to make an early comeback. Ryan Matterson and Will Penisini are due to play after illness ruled them out of Saturday’s loss to Souths although Matterson has been listed in the reserves.
Sharks: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Braydon Trindall 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Jack Williams 14. Siosifa Talakai 15. Toby Rudolf 16. Royce Hunt 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 18. Mawene Hiroti 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Billy Burns 21. Niwhai Puru 22. Jayden Berrell
Braydon Trindall will return to the NRL for the first time since being stood down for his drink-driving arrest to replace Nicho Hynes. Cronulla captain Cameron McInnes is also away on Origin duty but Toby Rudolf is back on the bench from a knee injury with Jack Williams promoted to lock.